Zamboni

I’ve been a STH since 2004 and so I’ve gone to my more than fair share of games. If I’m not going, I’m watching. I’ve watched almost every game this season. And will continue to do so. Its painful lately, but IMO the tanking years were much more painful.

They flat out sucked and lost. Phil freakin Housley. They didn’t acquire Pominville, Scandella, Kane, O’Reilly, and Lehner with the mindset of tanking. Signing AHLers to fill the majority of your NHL team is true tanking.

Well my mindset is.... in order to properly use the term “tanking”, a true tanking is what Darcy and Murray did. Trade away almost all the top talent. Trade away Eichel, Risto, Dahlin, Ullmark, Reinhart, Skinner, Mitts. Bottom the hell out of this team and then rebuild thru drsft picks and good trades. So .... no .... this team is not tanking, and will not tank. As much as others may want to cloud true tanking and true rebuilding the team. I rooted for losses during the Reinhart, Eichel, and Dahlin draft. No more. I’m done wanting losses. Time to build around the assets we have. And yes, naysayers, we do have nice young assets worth building around.

Slapshot style! Player coach!

He’s young and I get that. So I’m not coming down hard on him.... but as of now, Eichel isn’t all that great of a captain. Yet. I think if he learned under a terrific leader for the past 4 years, he would be much better today. Just my O ...

This is more of a hope for next season post instead of a prediction/expectation... I hope outgoing ... Housley Pominville Sobotka Bogo Okposo i hope incoming ... One of Olofsson, Asplund, Nylander One of Pilut, Borgen Two vocal experienced vets who will help lead by example. And teach the kids how to be consistent and hold each other accountable, have fun, and learn from. Because the players in the outgoing list, really suck at it.

That’s some “throw darts at a board with names” and your lines are done in 2 mins! yikes Housley ... bloody hell ...

Can we? Sure there’s a chance as slim as it is. will we? Hell no. Soooo many things have to break our way. I predict our best pick will be in the 7 to 15 range. Which will still get us a pretty good kid.

Yep... the spaghetti parm at Chefs was the best part of the night.... they looked soooooo uninterested in playing. Housley is dead man walking. He’s lost the team. This team has most of the pieces to succeed. It’s the system and coaching that are the problem. I have no doubt in my mind.

closing in on 20 years ago.... still hate Hull lol.

And that takes care of that molehill that some begged to become a mountain lol.

Wife and I will be going to Chefs and then this barn burner. I have a feeling the best part of the evening will be the spaghetti parm. ? But I’ll be optimistic and hope for a 5-4 win. Dahlin, Nylander or Reinhart with a goal.

Adam Gretz ... the pillar of sports journalism. About as high brow as Harrington.

There is a difference between what we as fans want and hope he signs for, and what the market calls for. The market for a in his prime UFA having the kind of year he’s having, warrants a massive pay raise to the point of overpaying. As a fan, I don’t like it. But he will get paid based in part by what the GM thinks he will bring while in his prime, playing with one of the top centers in the league who is just entering his prime. From Skinners camp, NOW is the time to push and push hard for as much money and as long of a term as he can get. Again, it’s not what others signed their contracts for a few years ago. Pointing to other bad contracts teams signed players for carries no weight for an agent or player. I’d be shocked if he signs with the Sabres or any team quite frankly for under 8/per on a max or near max term.

I could probably list 50 as well. That doesn’t mean the JB feels the same and low balls him to an insulting level. By all accounts, both sides are talking, So that’s good. I would bet they are within 10-12% of each other. It doesn’t matter how many players are today, right now, making 8.5-9.5. How many comparable players signed in the last 12 months? What was it for? What’s the percentage of salary cap does their contact take up? Skinner will eat up a good chunk the first 2-3 years. But as the salary cap climbs, his contract will eat less and less percentage. Im not saying Skinner’s contract will be a bargain. Hell, it will be quite high actually. But like many who sign big bloated contracts, you can only hope most of the term are highly productive years. Ideally i’d like him for 6 years at 7 mil. But that’s fantasyland to think he’d entertain, let alone sign that low offer. Especially in one of the highest taxed states in the country.

Skinner will ask and get 7-8 years at 8.5-9.5 per. If not by JB, then by some GM. I’d be shocked if it was less term or much less AAV.

Buffalo Beauts games are terrific. The team is so stacked this year. Isobel cup is ours!!! Muahahahahah!!!

I predict Housley will be gone before the 1st round of the playoffs even begin. JB will have at least one more full season to right the ship.

Meh ... Nylander won’t move the needle at all. Unless it’s only for a game or two, I’d rather see him continue to help the Amerks win games and build on a “decent” season.

Both hits deserve a 1 game. Move on. We know the DOPS is wildly inconsistent.